Is Bariatric Surgery Right For Me?
If healthy eating and exercise haven't helped you lose weight, consider bariatric surgery at UNC Medical Centerin Chapel Hill.
Medical Criteria for Bariatric Surgery
You're a candidate to explore weight-loss surgery if you:
- Have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher
- Have a BMI of at least 35 and an obesity-related medical condition such as:
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Diabetes
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Infertility
- Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
- Osteoarthritis
- Pseudotumor cerebri, or increased pressure around the brain
- Pulmonary embolism
- Sleep apnea
- Are 18 to 65 years old
- Can show, through your doctor's notes, unsuccessful weight-loss efforts such as diet, exercise and medical therapies
If you're younger than 18 or older than 65, you may still qualify for bariatric surgery depending on your medical condition and needs.
Financial Factors to Consider
You’ll need to receive your insurance company's approval for any type of weight-loss surgery before you can move forward. Our surgeons cannot accept self-paying clients. Learn how to verify insurance coverage while preparing for bariatric surgery.
